A Novel Sickness of the Wired Generation: Cell Phone Elbow

Cubital tunnel syndrome stems from flexing of the elbow over an extended period, experts say

Nintendo thumb arrived first; followed by the Guitar Hero wrist. And now, the most recent illness afflicting the wired generation, is known as the cell phone elbow.

Known in the medical field as cubital tunnel syndrome, cell phone elbow is a condition characterized by numbness, tingling and pain felt in the forearm and hand. This condition occurs as a result of compression of the ulnar nerve, which stretches along the bony prominence of the elbow.

And according to experts, one of the culprits that apply pressure on the ulnar nerve is excessive chatting over the cell phone, which is made possible by those cell phone plans offering unlimited talk time.

Elbow flexing over extended periods such as holding a cell phone to your ear during calls to close deals, talk to your parents or monitor your teens’ whereabouts while you’re at the office, applies pressure on the ulnar nerve. In high-risk individuals, keeping the elbow on a bent position for prolonged periods can result in reduced blood circulation, as well as inflammation and compression of the nerve.

"Repetitive, sustained stretching of the nerve is like stepping on a garden hose," said Dr. Peter J. Evans, director of the Cleveland Clinic's Hand and Upper Extremity Center. He said that with the hose, what you are obstructing is the water flow. "With the elbow, you're blocking the blood flow to the nerve, which causes it to misfire and short circuit."

Among the symptoms that patients initially observe include a numbing, tingling, or aching sensation in the forearm and hand, a pain that can be likened to t he one generated when your "funny bone" is hit. The unlikable feeling you experience when hitting your "funny bone" is in fact, your ulnar nerve.

As symptoms persist, they can cause the affected muscles to lose strength, coordination and mobility which can lead to difficulty in writing and typing. In chronic cases that are left untreated, the condition can damage the ring finger and pinky, note Evans and his team in a report appearing in the May issue of the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.

Despite the fact that there are no exact figures on the number of people with cell phone elbow, hand specialists say that the rate is on the rise together with the 3.3 billion cell phone service contracts that are operating throughout the world, said Evans.

However, the condition is not as common as carpal tunnel syndrome, a similar disorder that is characterized by pain and numbness in the hand and wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve running from the forearm to the hand is compressed or squeezed.

According to Heather Turkopp, an occupational therapist and certified hand specialist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., cubital tunnel syndrome is second among the compression syndromes there are in terms of prevalence.

Majority of in the people who experience cubital tunnel syndrome are those who are in the middle age or older. Compared with men, women are more often prone to cubital tunnel syndrome -- but it’s most likely not because they talk more than men.

While the exact reasons for this are not clear, the hormonal variations of women or their anatomical structures may be behind their heightened susceptibility to this syndrome, Evans said.

Furthermore, excessive gabbing is not the sole reason why people get cubital tunnel syndrome. According to Evans, this condition may also be caused by sleeping with the elbows flexed and tucked up into the chest, sitting at a desk while the elbows are bent at an angle exceeding 90 degrees, and driving with the elbow propped on the window for prolonged periods.

In majority of cases, minor modifications in lifestyle practices, such as using a hands-free headset when talking to a cell phone, can help relieve symptoms. And if the problem is due to a sleeping position, putting an elbow pad to keep the arm from too much flexing at night can help too.

However, Turkopp said that for more severe cases, referrals to an occupational therapist may be necessary. The therapist may use ultrasound technology to loosen scar tissue that can develop around the nerve due to an inflammatory condition. The therapist can further use stretching, deep massage as well as "nerve-gliding" exercises in order to minimize tension on the nerve.

Other treatment options that doctors may employ include the use of anti-inflammatory drug injections. And in some cases, surgery may also be indicated.

If you notice any numbness or tingling in your hand or forearm, seek medical consultation as soon as possible, as it can help keep the problem from advancing to that stage, said Evans.